---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Srettia beamed in confidence as she entered the lift, hitting the key to take her to the upper deck where the meeting was taking place with enthusiasm. "I don't like that female, but removing her companion like that to protect her people is something I can respect." Michael shrugged as he entered the lift behind Srettia. " I'm not sure she was too fond of him to begin with." "Then why would she accept him as a mate? It would seem like a waste of your life coupling to someone you dislike." Srettia replied, leaning against the wall as the lift began its flight. Michael pondered to himself, taking a moment of silence to gather his thoughts on the subject. "Money... Or Perhaps she had the brains and looks but lacked the connections needed to make it into the government... It's common to marry into power during this stage of evolution." Srettia hissed at the idea and exited the lift as it stopped, pausing for a second before continuing down the hall. "Even more of a reason to dislike her." "I wouldn't judge her too harshly yet. Sometimes dirty tricks get the job done." Michael responded, gently bumping her shoulder with his. "If you're trying to get me to like her, you are going about it the wrong way. My people are honourable and proud, remember? Dirty tricks are for the weak and cowardly........ Ahh... Perhaps you were correct." Srettia stated, seemingly thinking through an epiphany. "I don't think we're on the same page here but keep an open mind. They are not your people and have different values and ways of doing things." Michael replied, coming up to the door and hitting the open key as Srettia made a dismissive sound. "Ahhh, Captain Michael Graeme. It is an honour to finally meet you." General Basthin boomed, rising from his chair along with Ekianei to greet the ship, Captain. "General Basthin." Michael said calmly, walking to his chair and standing behind it. "Ms. Ekianei." Yirphayen chimed a tune of calming, hoping this discussion would go smoothly. "I hope the carbon form that was removed gets the help it requires." Ekianei smiled at Yirphayen, looking to Michael with a frown and a slight point of her ears. "Please, Captain. I may have been ejected from my family unit, but still, I will retain control of our government. You may call me lady from now on." She replied, sitting in her chair soon after. "Alright, then, Lady Ekianei. Tossing out what was said in our previous meeting, where is your stance on our offer now?" Michael asked, sitting in his chair and motioning for Srettia to follow his lead. "Forgive me, Captain. Though, I spoke at length with Lady Ekianei. I would like for you to reiterate your offer so that I may have the full picture." Basthin replied, leaning forward against the table. "I see. I'll keep this short then. I offer to provide your city with protection while my crew gathers up the leaders of your people. Once gathered, we will discuss the state of your planet and provide whatever assistance is needed or possible. Once that is complete, we will leave your world and return with a liberation force to free your people. Once the liberation has completed its mission, the force will set up planetary defences and begin to uplift you in such a way that you retain your culture but come into the stars able to defend yourself from external threats." Michael recited, reading off a speech from his implant. "In short. My objective is to gather your leaders, figure out what's happening. Leave with that information, then bring a force that will free and protect you while sharing our technology so that you may join us in the stars." General Basthin sat silently in his chair, looking over to lady Ekianei in shock before looking back to Michael.... "And that idiot was against this why?" "He was a buffoon that wanted to be king of the planet." Ekianei replied, cutting Michael off before he could speak. "He denied this help because he wished to be the only one with the power to travel the stars." She cursed, looking over to Michael. "Now, Captain. As the leader of my people, I wish to accept your help, but I do have a request or two of my own. Perhaps three if it is acceptable," She continued, a smile growing on her face. "And that is?" Srettia asked skeptically, straightening her back and raising her head to look at the lady down her nose. "One. Before you leave, assist us in repairing our wall. Two. Assist us in dealing with our food shortage. We have been sieged for months and are running low. And three, this one may be declined, but I would be deeply grateful if it were not. I request you leave Aylen as my personal guard. Seeing as the power has shifted to myself, it would be a good sign that you are backing such change." She recited, looking back at Aylen with a toothy grin. Michael leaned back into his chair as Jack spawned in his own, eliciting a surprised grunt from Basthin. "Why, Aylen?" Ekianei smiled and leaned forward, eyeing the Captain with determination as she began to create her argument. "Do you know what it means to feel safe?" She began, watching as Michael looked over to Ankiah then back to her. "Feeling safe is something quite important to my people. It's one of the reasons we create large family units. After all, the more partners in one area, the safer it is, correct?" She said, pausing to let Michael think about her words. "You'll notice something odd when comparing the unit size from those in the police force or military, even that of the fire suppressors. It's almost strictly three. One male and two females, regardless of who's the one employed. While outside the forces, it is four to six, sometimes up to eight depending on the unit." Michael nodded and looked to Aylen then back to Ekianei. "You're saying he makes you feel safe?" Lady Ekianei grinned and nodded. " I am. You see, our family units are created to support each other. Our life experiences helping the various partners through their own troubles or giving guidance to one another when others could not. I'm not sure how other species do it but having a support system to help you through life is rather convenient... However." Michael nodded his understanding and looked to Aylen once again. "You're saying you think he can satisfy your life needs? How does he feel about it, did you ask him?" "I have not, but yes. His smell is intoxicating, and he is quite the powerful male. I would propose that he be left as my guard with the idea that I would be... What is the human word... Dating? Interviewing? Him at the same time." Ekianei replied, keeping her eyes on the confused Captain. "Aylen. As awkward as this is. What are your thoughts?" Michael asked, looking over to the neutral faced man. Aylen looked down at Lady Ekianei as she looked back up at him with a smile before sighing to himself. " I'm not into sharing my partners Captain. It's a hard deal-breaker for me." "Good! Then it's settled. Aylen will be my guard while you gather the remaining leaders of our people." Ekianei replied, her ears twitching in excitement. Allen's eyes went wide, shooting a look to his captain and noticing he had the same confused look on his face. "Uhh... Maybe I wasn't clear, Lady Ekianei. I'm not interested in romantic interactions if my partner will be seeing other people." "Good. I have no intention of attending to anyone but yourself." She replied, stamping her paw on the datapad in the middle of the table. "As long as you fulfill my terms, we are in agreeance." Michael looked at Aylen with a stern face, one filled with worry. "Aylen, be brutally honest. What are your thoughts? I will not bargain your life into whatever Ekianei has planned for you. If you want out, I will assign someone else to guard her or find another, more agreeable leader." Aylen eyed Ekianei with suspicion trying to see through this female but failing. " Tell me straight. You've been very handsy with me since we've met. Tell me why you're so interested, and I may consider it." Basthin laughed, slapping Ekianei lightly on her back as she made an unknown face. "She said it already. She finds your smell intoxicating, and you make her feel safe. That's all she needs." Ekianei politely cleared her throat and nodded in agreeance. "Quite. I'm not sure how a Terran finds a partner, but I am already satisfied with you just being around me. I am willing to wait for your feelings to catch up, dear Aylen." She continued, not meeting his eyes. Ankiah looked at Michael and passed him a datapad with her thoughts. "She seems sincere. She would be blushing right now if she were a Terran." Aylen sighed and nodded at Michael. "As long as she doesn't try anything weird, it's fine. It's my duty to guard VIPs right now anyway." "Then, it is done." Basthin stated, placing his paw on the datapad in the middle of the table. Srettia scowled and looked at the female in annoyance. "I do not like how your people go about things. But this is better than what that idiot wanted." Michael pulled the datapad towards himself, made amendments to the deal allowing Aylen to opt-out if he wanted, and passed it back. " Is this acceptable?" Ekianei studied the deal and once again signed with her paw, passing it over to Basthin to do the same. "Yes, I quite like this. Please be at ease, Captain, my fondness for Aylen is genuine, and I will not allow his emotions to be toyed with." Aylen sighed and fought to keep his face neutral. " Of all the things I thought I would see in the stars, being apart of a peace treaty in this way was not one of them." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Drone away!" Tanda stated, watching as the fist-sized square flew off into the sky from the top of the ship. "You have control, ops." "I have control." Steven replied, flying the drone towards a small group of Briolb. "What do you think we'll find?" "Whatever it is, it won't be good." Tanda replied, walking back into the ship. "Maybe some of the missing tech everyone is worried about... Or maybe it is those man-eating bugs Ankiah is always on about." Steven continued to fly the drone towards his designated group, deciding to fly over the tall trees as he did so. "These things are pretty tall... were talking sixty meters plus." Tanda let out a low whistle as he entered the lift, keying the bridge as he did."Well, when you have bugs that'll eat your people among them, no reason to go out and prune." "I'm not seeing anything out of the ordinary, just trees and the odd bird. Some sharp-beaked birds. What do you think they eat?" Steven asked, continuing his work. "I'm not an anthropologist, so unless you see some laser raptors, I can't tell ya much." Tanda said, stepping off the lift and walking towards the bridge. "No giant man-eating bugs yet?" Steven sighed as Tanda entered the bridge, throwing up the feed on the main display. "Not even a carcass." "So what, they're invisible?" Tanda asked, sitting at his station. "I'm rotating the sensor feed. It'll give us a wider degree of coverage." "You sound like you don't really believe what Ankiah says about the fauna of her home planet." Steven replied, bring the drone down low enough to see the fleeing Briolb. "Foundem." Tanda weaved his head back and forth as the drone monitored the group. "It's not that I don't... I mean, they have giant walls to keep them out. It's just. We've been to hundreds of planets, and not once have we seen invisible insects we couldn't pick up on our scanners. I'm sure it some tech they're using." "Fair enough." Steven replied, leaning back in his couch as the drone continued its work. "We're about to find out what's really going on here anyway." Steven and Tanda slipped into a silent watch, both observing the display as the group of three closed in on the lone Briolb. Upon their meeting, the three greeted the one, stomping their feet in an odd manner before charging off in the direction of another small group. "No tech." Tanda said quietly. "No bugs either." "They're still on the scanner, so they haven't done put together their jammer." Steven replied. Continuing their watch, the two sat in silence once again, the drone moving around to get different angles before slipping behind a tree and instantly losing sight of the Briolb. "Okay... What?" Tanda stated, leaning forward. "Where the hell did they go?" Steven flew the drone down towards the last known position, scanning the area heavily in search of the four. "Gone. Like vanished." "You can't just vanish like that. That would imply teleporter tech." Tanda stated, watching as the scans came back negative. "And teleporters leave traces which we aren't picking up." Steven moved the drone down to the ground, scanning a footprint of one of the Briolb. "Yup. No energy readings." "It's a fucking haunted fore-" Tanda closed his mouth as the ground burst open and the drone went dark, the speakers rattling as the feed was instantly lost. As silence swept between the two, Tanda looked over to steven, and steven looked over to Tanda, both nodding in silence before looking at the connection lost icon on the main display. "So they're ambush predators that live in burrows. Remind me never to go out in that forest.... Ever." Tanda said, holding onto his chair tightly. "They're like a fucking trap door spider is what they are." Steven shakily announced, cutting the feed and putting a picture of the city on display. "It ate four instantly... FOUR!" Tanda looked over his reading with a worried face, trying to see anything that could direct him to a solid lead. "Yeah. You're missing the part where the drone was on top of it and couldn't pick up its bio signs." "Ahh... This is trouble. We're going to have to figure this out if we ever want to enter that forest." Steven replied, looking through his own logs. "We're going to need another drone to go out there." Tanda said, sighing in resignation. "Got it." Steven said excitedly, throwing up his scan. "I think the bugs carapace is laced with the metal stuff the trees are producing. It blends right in with the ground. Notice the mass in that one spot here." He noted, pointing out a mass of metal. "At first, I thought it was just globs of the mineral. Ya know, since they're normally by the trees and stuff. But uh... If we go by this mass and compare it to other masses in our scans..... Well... There are a few hundred in the surrounding area alone." Tanda looked at the screen and opened a line to Rowan, sending him a still of the scan. "Rowan... What kind of anti-bug stuff do you have for these things?" ----------------------------------------------------------------------------